Dry Dates Weighing 360 tonnes in 13 Containers said to be of Pak
Origin Intercepted in Nashik
·
Major
seizure:
Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI)
seized more than 362
metric tonnes of Pakistan-origin dry dates allegedly being
imported into India in violation of the prohibition on Pakistan-origin goods.
·
13
Containers Intercepted:
Acting on specific intelligence, DRI intercepted 13 containers imported
by a Mumbai-based firm
at CFS Ambad,
Nashik.
·
Third-Country
Routing: The
consignments arrived in India from Jebel
Ali, UAE, with import documents declaring UAE as the country of origin.
·
Pakistan
Origin Established:
Preliminary investigation found that the dry dates had originally been shipped
from Karachi Port,
Pakistan, to Jebel Ali.
·
Transshipment
Modus Operandi: At
Jebel Ali, the goods were:
o Transferred into different containers
o Loaded onto another vessel
o Shipped onward to India
o Routed through entities operated by Pakistani nationals
·
Concealment
of Origin: The
arrangement was allegedly designed to conceal
the Pakistan origin of the goods through transshipment and
manipulation/misdeclaration of import documentation.
·
Pakistan
Import Ban:
Following the Pahalgam
terror attack, India prohibited the direct or indirect import or transit of
all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan, effective 2 May 2025.
·
DGFT
Notification: The
prohibition was imposed through DGFT
Notification No. 06/2025-26 dated 2 May 2025.
·
Operation
Deep Manifest: DRI
has been conducting “Operation
Deep Manifest” to detect and seize Pakistan-origin goods
attempting to enter India through third
countries.
·
Circumvention
Techniques Targeted: The
operation focuses on networks using:
o Misdeclaration
o Third-country transshipment
o Manipulation of documentation
o Concealment of the actual country of
origin
·
National
Security: The
seizure reinforces DRI's efforts to prevent circumvention of trade restrictions and
protect national security
and supply-chain integrity.
Key Takeaway
The
362-MT seizure highlights DRI's intensified enforcement of India's Pakistan
import prohibition, particularly against sophisticated third-country routing
and false declarations of country of origin.
In
a significant crackdown on attempts to circumvent India’s prohibition on imports
from Pakistan, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), has seized more than
362 metric tonnes of Pakistan-origin dry dates.
Acting
on specific intelligence, DRI officers intercepted 13 containers of dry dates imported
by a Mumbai-based firm at CFS Ambad, Nashik. The consignments
had arrived from Jebel Ali, UAE, with import documents declaring the UAE as the
country of origin.
Preliminary
investigation revealed a carefully orchestrated transshipment arrangement designed
to conceal the Pakistan-origin of the goods. The dry dates were initially shipped
from Karachi Port, Pakistan, to Jebel Ali Port, UAE, in one set of containers aboard
one vessel. At Jebel Ali, the goods were merely transshipped
and transferred to another set of containers and loaded onto a different vessel
for onward shipment to India through entities operated by Pakistani nationals.
Following
the Pahalgam terror attack, the Government of India, in the interest of national
security, imposed a complete prohibition on the direct or indirect import or transit
of all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan, with effect from 2 May 2025,
vide DGFT Notification No. 06/2025-26 dated 2 May 2025. In response, DRI, under
“Operation Deep Manifest”, has been consistently identifying, intercepting and seizing
Pakistan-origin goods attempted to be imported into India through third-country
routing.
The
seizure underscores DRI’s sustained resolve to identify, disrupt and dismantle sophisticated
networks seeking to circumvent trade prohibitions through misdeclaration, transshipment
and manipulation of documentation, thereby safeguarding national security and straightening
supply chain integrity.